Bison have four-chambered stomachs like cows, which helps them digest tough grass and plants!
Bison (American Bison) - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Bison (American Bison) For Kids
A single bison eats 24 pounds (11 kg) of plants every day, which equals about four standard 6-ounce hamburgers in weight!
Bison prefer young, tender grass shoots but will eat over 200 different types of plants!
Bison chew their food, swallow it, then bring it back up to chew again â this is called chewing cud!
In winter, bison eat dried grass, bark, and twigs when fresh plants arenât available!
Bison need to drink 7â10 gallons of water every day, especially during hot summer months!
Bison have special teeth designed for cutting grass, with flat grinding surfaces in the back!
Bison graze mostly in the early morning and evening when itâs cooler outside!
Bison can go 3â4 days without drinking water if they eat plants with high moisture content!
Conservation & Population
There were once 30-60 million bison in North America, but by 1889 only about 1,091 were left alive!
Today there are about 500,000 bison in North America, thanks to conservation efforts!
Yellowstone National Park has the largest wild bison herd in the United States, with about 4,000 animals!
The American bison is the national mammal of the United States, chosen in 2016!
Most bison today live on private ranches, where theyâre raised like cattle for meat and leather!
Scientists are working to restore wild bison herds to native grasslands across the Great Plains!
The Nature Conservancy manages several bison preserves to protect these magnificent animals!
Some Native American tribes are bringing bison back to their traditional lands after 150 years!
Bison hunting is now carefully managed, with only licensed hunters allowed to take a few animals each year!
Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota has a genetically pure bison herd with no cattle genes!
Amazing Abilities
Bison can turn their massive bodies around completely in just a few seconds when threatened!
Bison use their powerful sense of smell to detect predators over 1 mile (1.61 km) away!
Bison can break through fences that would stop cars, using their 2,000-pound bodies as battering rams!
Bison have special blood vessels in their noses that warm cold air before it reaches their lungs!
Bison can walk through snow 4 feet (1.22 m) deep by using their heads and shoulders to push it aside!
Bison have a special third eyelid that protects their eyes from dust, snow, and bright sunlight!
Historical & Cultural Facts
Native Americans used every part of the bison â meat for food, hide for clothes, and bones for tools!
Bison skulls were so important to Plains tribes that they were used in sacred ceremonies!
The word âbisonâ comes from the Greek word âbisonâ (βίĎĎν), meaning ox-like animal!
Bison were hunted almost to extinction in the 1800s, mainly for their valuable hides!
The transcontinental railroad was built right through bison migration routes, disrupting their movement!
Famous Wild West showman Buffalo Bill got his nickname from hunting bison to feed railroad workers!
Bison nickels (5-cent coins) featured a bison on one side from 1913 to 1938!
Many cities and states are named after bison, including Buffalo, New York, and Buffalo Gap, South Dakota!
Teddy Roosevelt helped start the American Bison Society in 1905 to save bison from extinction!
Bison hoofprints are 4.6 inches (12 cm) wide and 5 inches (13 cm) long â comparable to a small salad plate, but smaller than a standard dinner plate.
A bisonâs head is 3 feet (91 cm) long, which is longer than a baseball bat!
Bison can eat grass down to 1 inch (2.54 cm) tall, shorter than your thumb!
A newborn bison calf is already taller than most kindergarteners at 3 feet (91 cm) high!
When a bison charges, each step stretches about 6 feet (183 cm) â longer than most grown-ups are tall!
Bison droppings, or âchips,â can be up to 8 inches (20 cm) wide, about the size of a small pizza!
A bisonâs bellow can be heard 3 miles (5 km) away, farther than you can see in most directions!
Bison are considered a keystone species, meaning theyâre so important that entire prairie ecosystems depend on them!
